insideKENT Magazine Issue 30 - September 2014 | Page 30

“44” Charing, Kent
“44” opened in Charing High Street five years ago. The premises
has had a long history, from the First World War when it was
a drapers and milliners, to the more recent greengrocers which
closed in 2007. “44”’s owner Elizabeth, loved the house, with
its beamed interior and pretty garden, then realised it came
with a large empty shop! “It was serendipity,” she explains,
laughing. “It had crossed my mind several times to sell jewellery,
paintings and accessories designed and made in Kent where
possible, and I soon realised this lovely building could make
that pipe dream a reality.”

Inevitably some things are sourced further afield,
but the ethos remains the same: to offer an
unusual selection of gifts and accessories not
found in town centres. Customers often remark
“isn’t it lovely to find something that little bit
different,” and because of that the items on offer
are many and var